Counting the Days

~ Prologue~

Miori was slammed into the wall as another batch of crowd of students jammed into the already crowded hallway. If this kept on going, she knew she wouldn't be able to get to class on time. Catching a glimpse of the clock above her, she knew she only had thirty seconds to get to her class. However, no one paid any attention to her thoughts as they just fooled around some more, knowing that their classrooms were just right by where they stood.

The girl of fourteen finally broke through as a teacher came out, immediately causing the crowd to disperse as quickly as steam disappears into air. Not hesitating a breath, Miori ran. However, before she even got halfway to her destination, a loud ring ran throughout the empty hallways of the school marking Miori as late.

However, she kept running until she reached the door. Opening it, she found hell. The classroom was in an uproar. Paper planes and balls were strewn everywhere on the never washed floor. The HR teacher looked like he might as well just lose the rest of his hair in pure white stress. He was so stressed out that as soon as he saw Miori, without giving her an opportunity to defend herself, he handed her a detention pass.

Or maybe it wasn't just his stress. She had heard that Mr. Irone was this sexist that had this sort of racism toward all asian girls. However, Miori didn't say anything though as she quietly took the pass and seated herself down on an empty seat only to find gum on it.

The class immediately burst into laughter. It was obvious they had planned this out from the start. Just the likely trick they'll devise for the nobody, Miori Sukabe.

Miori, ignoring the peals of laughter echoing around her, took out a sweater from her backpack and wrapped it around her waist. And as soon as the first bell rang, she made a beeline to the bathroom. After hard scrubbing with warm water, the gum finally managed to come off.

And this was just a taste of Miori's daily school life. Sighing, she combed her hand through her auburn short silky hair and stared at a paled faced girl with dark brown eyes that was reflected in the mirror in front of her. Hating what she saw, she looked down.

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An explosion sounded throughout the school. And Miori stood frozen. She was in her white lab coat with a very distressed looking science teacher behind her. Not being a very big understander of science, she had accidentally mixed two chemicals that weren't meant to be mixed. It's only just one mistake! Nobody's perfect! She was just about to speak her thoughts out loud when two boys hooted in the back causing the class to lose control which distressed the science teacher more. Miori just nervously let out a shaky smile.

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The hallways once again got crowded and Miori was just about to pass when a bunch of girls came her way and started cracking gum in front of her face. "Hey, nice work you did back at the lab, you klutz." "Yeah, you almost ruined my best outfit today. You were very lucky." Shoving her out of the way, the group continued on, laughing and giggling their girlish laughters.

Miori just stood silent focusing the edges of the blurry walls to keep straight.

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The torturous long hours of school finally ended, allowing many students to become free. However, for Miori, she sat locked up in a classroom, doing all the dirty work. She washed the floors, scrubbed the desk and cleaned the window. Soon after the two hour work of labor, she was freed and she slowly started her way home.

All of a sudden, the floor and the sky melted, creating one big swirling blur. And soon, Miori was sure, the floor was rushing up to meet her face when someone caught her and held her. Miori wanted to scream out for help. She wanted to direct whoever caught her to get her the pills that were inside her left pocket... She wanted to...

"Hey. You okay?" Slowly, the pain subsided, and her eyes were back in focus. Looking upward, she saw the worried face of a boy with dark black hair and clear blue eyes. Quickly getting up and out of his hold, Miori stood up and bowed, whispering. "Arigatou.."

"You're welcome." The boy in return flashed a handsome smile causing Miori to blush. "Hope you feel better."

He turned around and disappeared from sight, leaving Miori in a daze. Snap out of it! Miori commanded herself. He probably has a girlfriend and is going to go meet her right now! Shaking her mind, she threw the image of her savior away, continuing on her way home.

"Miori, you're late!" Miori's mother reprimanded harshly yet with worry as Miori stepped into the mansion she lived in with her mother, four other maids, and a butler. "Dr. Waterson was and is still waiting in your room for two hours. Now be a good girl and go upstairs to get your treatment."

Miori didn't comment back and walked zombie like upstairs to her bedroom where surely a man in his twenty fives with tan hair and violet eyes waited for her. A worried look came over the doctor. "Miori. You got to understand that the symptom of you disease is not something to be taken lightly. Cancer is a highly dangerous disease even for full grown adults. The best you could do to survive is at least be punctual for your appointments..." Noticing Miori's distressed look, Dr. Waterson sighed. Then gave Miori an apologetic smile. "Sorry. I guess I really want you to live. You're still only fourteen and still have a whole life ahead of you..." A pause took place. "Well, let's go onto the treatments."

After taking her blood pressure, and giving her another shot of some medication that was said to help her treatment of cancer, Dr. Waterson's brows furrowed in frustration.

When Miori looked to meet his gaze, however, his expression quickly changed into a grin. "You're doing really well. Keep it up and I'll see you two days later." With that, he packed up and headed downstairs.

After sitting on her bed for a few seconds, she decided she'd see Dr. Waterson to the door and silently walked down the stairs when she suddenly stopped midway.

"So how's she doing?" Her mother. They were talking about her. She heard a sigh. "I'm sure this news is not any good news but she's refusing my advices and not taking her medication on time. I double checked and I could only tell you that your daughter has only ten more days to live." A gasp sounded downstairs. "Is... Is there any other..." "There is another option, although it has a slim chance she'll survive, it's the only choice we've got... Miori has to cooperate with her medications and another very hard thing is that she has to have a will to want to survive. As you are her mother, I'm sure Miori is now in her stage of a teenager's depression, and that's just another odd she's against... All I can say is that, if you want you daughter to survive, she needs to try her best."

An uneasy silence lingered in the room until a cough from the doctor broke it. "Well, Mrs. Sukabe. Good day." "Yes. Dr. Waterson. Good day."A closing of the door was heard.

Miori slowly silently continued on her way up back to her room. She closed her door and leaning against it slid down. Turning to her right, she spotted a calendar. Ten more days... She replayed the words inside her head.

A small smile grew on her lips. Only ten more days until she was taken away from this miserable life she was in. Just ten more days until she was laid down in peace...

Suddenly she jolted from her daydream as fear crossed her mind. She was going to die?! Was death painful? Would it hurt? Was there anything to look forward to in a death?

A silent sob escaped her and tears slid down her pale skin. While hiding her face beneath her arms, she hugged herself, trying fruitlessly to stop the involuntary shiver that kept running through her spine.

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"Hi. I'm Skye Luijen." Miori eyes widened as she stared at the new exchange student. A group of girls near her literally had hearts coming out of their eyes as they looked at him. Miori just opened and closed her mouth in astonishment. She couldn't speak. The exchange student ruffled his dark black hair and smiled warmly as he focused his clear blue eyes on Miori. He was the same guy.. That helped me.. yesterday! "Nice to meet you all."

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Okay.. Okay.. I'm just adding to my burden of "finish the story already" list. But oh well. Still, I assure you this is just a little sidestory^^- and it's very short having at least only five chapters^^- I hope you enjoy this as well as you enjoy Hopes of Love~!

R&R everyone~!